The fourth episode of the SquaMates podcast! You wanted more snake genomes? You got them! You wanted more controversy? Double dose! This show is rife with bad puns and brilliant science, hosted by Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak!

In this fourth episode, we revisit the Toxicofera, whinge about how busy we all are, mourn the loss of priceless collections, and bring you some hot new science from the last month! These breaking newts include some new snake genomes, some shockingly complicated methods, and a strong message of STAHP SENDING SALAMANDERS OVERSEAS! Our main discussion is a free-form conversation about the way we think about invasive species, and how it is often based on gut feelings, rather than evidence (which discuss without mentioning any primary literature). The featured #HERper is Rose Marie Antoinette Blommers-Schlösser, whose work did wonders for researchers studying Madagascar’s amphibians.

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes, go to http://www.squamatespod.com

Missedsnakes References:

Koch, N.M. & Gauthier, J.A. (2018) Noise and biases in genomic data may underlie radically different hypotheses for the position of Iguania within Squamata. PloS ONE, 13, e0202729. 10.1371/journal.pone.0202729

Blommers-Schlösser, R.M.A. (1975) Observations on the larval development of some Malagasy frogs, with notes on their ecology and biology (Anura: Dyscophinae, Scaphiophryninae, and Cophylinae). Beaufortia, 24, 7–26. [pdf available here]